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Over 195 countries developed Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement to mitigate CEs (CE). Mongolia commits to a 22.7% reduction in CE by 2030 under the NDC goal. The study assessed the CE impact of local food production on the NDC of ceasing food imports under the Food Revolution Program (FRP). Findings indicated that Mongolia could not sustainably feed the population solely with domestic foods while achieving carbon mitigation goals concurrently. Relying on domestic production, it was projected that there would be a 7% increase in CE within agricultural food production, which constitutes 15% of the total emissions of the agriculture sector. The NDC targets an 18% (5238 Gg CO 2eq) reduction in the agriculture sector by 2030; the study concluded that the mitigation goal would drop to 16.5% if foods are produced domestically under the FRP. This underscores the necessity of a strategic combination of local production (such as carrots, hen eggs, and rapeseed) and imports (like cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, and chicken from the People's Republic of China) could effectively mitigate the CE. From a national perspective, combining import and local production proves beneficial; however, on the global scale, prioritizing local food production would be valuable to reduce the CE in food transportation and imported food production. [Display omitted] • The Food Revolution Program would have a negative impact on NDC goals. • If domestic foods replace imports, there will be 7% GHG increase by 2030. • 1st paper comparing NDC with the food system of Mongolia. • Raising awareness for policymakers to look at national or global perspectives of GHG. • Further study of carbon footprint must be conducted in food system of Mongolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the dual challenges of food security crisis and environmental costs, promoting agricultural green development (AGD) is an urgent need. Agricultural cleaner production place-based policy (ACPBP) is an important tool for promoting AGD. Based on the entropy value method to measure the AGD, DID is applied in this paper to investigate whether ACPBP can promote AGD. The conclusions of the paper are as follows: (1) The AGD is impacted differently by various types of ACPBP. The policy of replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers for fruits, vegetables and teas (RCFOFFVT) can inhibit AGD, national agricultural green development pioneer zone policy (NAGDPZP) can promote AGD. There is persistence in the effects of both RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP. (2) There are regional heterogeneities in the effects of RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP on AGD. The RCFOFFVT has a stronger inhibitory effect on AGD in low economic development counties and major grain-producing counties. The NAGDPZP has a stronger promotional effect on AGD in high economic development counties and non-major grain-producing counties. For low-carbon policy counties, the inhibitory effect of RCFOFFVT is insignificant and the promotional effect of NAGDPZP is weaker. (3) Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation (ASTI) moderates the impact of RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP. ASTI would weaken the inhibitory effect of RCFOFFVT on AGD, and would strengthen the role of the NAGDPZP in promoting the AGD. (4) There is a policy mix effect of RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP that can jointly promote AGD. The conclusions of the paper indicate that ACPBP are effective approaches to deal with the food crisis and environmental pressures, but in the process of policy implementation, different types of ACPBP need to be implemented based on the realities of the situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies have primarily examined the impact of farmland fragmentation on agricultural production from the perspective of crop yield per unit of land. However, they generally overlook the effects of farmland fragmentation on the productivity of both labor and capital. Drawing upon micro-level data from rice, wheat, and maize farmers across 14 provinces in China for the years 2019 and 2020, this paper measures the effects of farmland fragmentation on the labor productivity, land productivity, and capital productivity of these three different crops, within the same temporal and spatial dimensions. We utilize the internal instrumental variable method (KV-IV) to address potential endogeneity issues in the model. The research findings indicate: (1) Farmland fragmentation hampers the use of machinery, resulting in a significant decrease in the labor productivity of farmers. On average, for every 1% increase in the level of farmland fragmentation, labor productivity for rice, wheat, and maize farmers drops by 21.3%, 19.9%, and 21.9% respectively. (2) Farmland fragmentation has significantly increased the land productivity of rice. With every 1% increase in farmland fragmentation, the land productivity of rice farmers increases on average by 3.4%. However, the impact of farmland fragmentation on the land productivity of wheat and maize is not significant. (3) The capital productivity of rice, influenced by farmland fragmentation, mirrors the changes seen in land productivity. Rice farmers with higher levels of farmland fragmentation exhibit greater capital productivity. On average, with every 1% increase in the level of farmland fragmentation, the capital productivity of rice farmers increases by 6.7%. Conversely, farmland fragmentation has a significant negative impact on the capital productivity of both wheat and maize farmers. On average, for every 1% increase in farmland fragmentation, the capital productivity of wheat and maize farmers drops by 9.1% and 7.0% respectively. Based on the empirical results of this paper, we propose corresponding policy recommendations. In the conclusion, we delve into the underlying causes of farmland fragmentation in China and ascertain that, to address the issue of farmland fragmentation in the country, the government must take a leading role. The significance of this paper lies in analyzing the varying degrees and directions of the impact of farmland fragmentation on different crops, providing a basis for the government to implement differentiated farmland fragmentation management policies in different crop-producing regions in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of sustainable residue management practices is considered as a cleaner production option for the agricultural sector. However, limited information is available from Pakistan on the current use and adoption of sustainable residue management practices and different socio-physiological factors are involved in the process of shaping farmers' intentions. Based on the protection motivation theory framework, this study analyzes the socio-physiological factors affecting the farmers' intentions on adopting sustainable crop residue management practices. The paper is based on cross-sectional data collected from 420 farmers across Punjab and employs a structural equation modeling to explore research objectives. The research findings show that farmers, who perceive high risk from crop residue burning or who are aware of its negative consequences, are more intended to adopt sustainable crop residue management practices. However, their adoption intentions do have significant relationship with the self-efficacy implying the lack of resources, time, knowledge, competency, and skills as constraints limiting the adoption of cleaner production strategies. Further, the research findings also confirm the positive and significant role of habits of farmers in shaping their intentions to use sustainable crop residue management practices. In addition to this, the paper found a positive and significant role in social interaction, sources of information and access to extension services in shaping farmers' decision regarding sustainable residue management practices at the farm level. The research findings suggest enhancing awareness to highlight the negative impacts of crop residue burning and to train them regarding useful and sustainable crop residue management options that are not only cleaner production options but also generate economic benefits for farmers. • Socio-psychological factors affecting farmers' SCRMPs intentions are assessed. • Perceived high risks of residue burning are more intended to adopt SCRMPs. • Socio-cognitive attributes significantly influence farmers' adoption intentions. • Farmers' intentions can improve by promoting ecological benefits of these practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural greenhouses can provide a suitable microclimate for crops to thrive under extreme weather conditions. The operations of these greenhouses are expensive due to the energy requirement of the active thermal conditioning systems required to maintain the growing environment for crop production. Engineering of these greenhouses to utilize clean renewable energy sources is critical and necessary to mitigate their carbon footprint, paving the way to a more sustainable agricultural industry. This paper presents numerical modelling of a net-zero passive solar greenhouse in Alberta, Canada with winter temperatures below freezing. The indoor microclimate of the greenhouse is modelled using the detailed radiation model of a transient simulation tool, TRNSYS. The paper investigates the effects of ground parameters and the solar-to-air fraction on the numerical results. The paper includes a cost comparison between crop production in the traditional and passive style greenhouse. [Display omitted] • The temperature profile of a net zero passive solar greenhouse in Alberta is simulated. • The effects of the solar-to air factor and ground parameters are studied. • The daily spike in the indoor temperature profile is due to the solar-to-air factor. • The indoor temperature profile is not sensitive to the changes in ground temperature. • Tomatoes production in the greenhouse is economically feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental regulations are crucial for addressing pollution and achieving green development. However, the role of agri-environmental regulations in promoting green agriculture is understudied. Using Chinese data (1999–2020) and a nonlinear panel threshold model, this paper explores their relationship. We measure the intensity of agri-environmental regulation by the difference in the real and theoretical polluting input consumption and compute agri-green growth by adjusting agricultural output using the cost of agricultural carbon emissions. Results reveal a two-stage impact of regulations on green growth in agriculture. At lower intensity, negative effects are observed, but beyond the threshold, positive impacts emerge. Evidence suggests the mechanism involves the nonlinear influence of agri-environmental regulations on agricultural production methods. We also find that negative impacts reverse faster, and positive impacts are more significant in major grain-producing regions and areas with high state-owned arable land. This study therefore suggests that the government subsidizes farmers at the initial stage of regulation to reduce the environmental costs borne by farmers to motivate them to adopt environmentally friendly production methods for agricultural sustainable green development. • We propoase a PLSR-based agri-environmental regulation measure and examine it'simpact on agriculture's green growth. • The panel threshold model is employed to find the economic threshold of effective agri-environmental regulation. • It exhibits a cost-benefit effect in the initial phase and an innovative compensation effect in the high-intensity phase. • Innovation in the agricultural production method is the underlying mechanism, accounting for 23.184% of the total effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift from a fossil-based to a bio-based economy (bioeconomy) requires more efficient utilization of the biomass generated from agricultural production. This can be achieved through the cascading use of biomass, which also offers the potential of creating additional value from biomass by developing novel products. Taking sugarcane as a case study example, this paper aims to analyze how well Brazil, the world’s leader in sugarcane production, is positioned to reach these goals. The paper combines two conceptual tools: one is the ‘biomass-based value web’, which was developed as an extension of the value chain concept with the aim to capture the links within and between value chains that arise from the cascading and joined use of biomass. The other concept is that of the ‘national innovation system’ (NIS), which serves to identify the different types of actors involved in the biomass value web and the linkages between them. For empirical data collection, the study combined three methods: a mapping of the physical biomass flows in the value web, in-depth interviews with the actors involved, and the application of the ‘Net-Map’ tool to identify the actors in the NIS and their linkages. The findings show that the development of Brazil’s international competitiveness in sugar and ethanol was based on political incentives that resulted in a strong network of institutions that focused on these two products. However, to become a front-runner in the future bioeconomy, the existing innovation network needs to be expanded. In particular, it is important to integrate national and international private sector organizations. The findings also suggest that industries need stronger incentives to collaborate with knowledge institutions. Long-term consistent policies and funding opportunities for risky investments are also required to further strengthen Brazil’s innovation network to meet future opportunities and challenges of the bioeconomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the decoupling of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from agricultural economic growth in 30 Chinese provinces from 1997 to 2014. First, CO 2 emissions from agricultural production activities, farming, and livestock husbandry are computed. Then, this paper explores the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of CO 2 emissions and their intensity in China’s agricultural sector. Finally, this paper compares decoupling of China’s agricultural CO 2 emissions from agricultural output value across different regions and years. The results indicate that fertilizer, in-season rice cultivation, and cattle generated the most CO 2 emissions in the categories of agricultural production activities, farming, and livestock husbandry, respectively. The results also show that East China covered more periods of the strong decoupling of CO 2 emissions from agricultural output value between 1997 and 2014. To decrease CO 2 emissions, this paper suggests imposing a higher value-added tax on fertilizer producers, while waiving value-added tax for organic fertilizer and substituting animal manure for conventional fertilizers where possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the very rapid development of technology as well as the increased demand of quality food, vegetables and fruits are more under spotlights for enhancing their healthy characteristics. With the involvement of new mathematical methods and updated variety of scientific investigations in food science, the need for better characterization of agricultural products arises. This review covers the bioimpedance method used for electrical characterization of fruits and vegetables, known as the bioimpedance spectroscopy. This electrical advantageous method offers an ecological agricultural production. By evaluating the quality factors of horticultural products, bioimpedance targets a double sustainable plan: an environmental friendly food control and an improved consumer's health care at once. An objective interpretation of the quality factors importance in the horticultural sector is presented along with a wide definition of bioimpedance spectroscopy. Moreover, the paper highlights techniques used for the bioimpedance properties measurements since their initiations. The collective data is tabulated for the destructive, non-destructive bioimpedance where clear objectives and focused conclusions of each measurement method are displayed. This paper summarizes the various findings and conclusions of these experiments seeking better oriented investigation in the future and encouraging further quality food applications in areas where data is still ambiguous. Non-destructive bioimpedance techniques open new perspectives for cleaner quality control system in industrial applications for fruit and vegetables quality determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the need of finding new ways of measuring the environmental and economic consequences of farming. The aim of this study is to inquire into the impacts that excessive intensification has on productivity and environmental costs in the long term and additionally, to explore empirically the trend of these two indicators over time. The contribution of this paper is to perform an empirical study of the trends of productivity and environmental costs of farming in the long-term. To this end, this paper performs a panel data analysis of productivity and environmental costs on a farm accounting database across European regions over the 1989–2009 period. The models proposed take (i) farm output per hectare as indicator of productivity, and (ii) expenditures on energy, pesticides and fertilisers per hectare as proxy indicators of environmental costs. Results provide empirical evidence that the regions under study have a negative trend of productivity and a positive trend of environmental costs over the time frame mentioned. These results correlate negatively with both, economic and environmental sustainability of farms. Arguably, this is aggravated in the latter due to hidden environmental costs valued at zero in traditional accounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production struggles with low efficiency and high emissions. This urgently calls for a collaborative effort between government and non-government organizations in environmental governance and policy implementation. In order to explore the supply-shock, demand-induced or superposition effects of the formal and informal environmental regulations to agricultural total factor productivity, using listed Chinese agricultural enterprise data from 2003 to 2018 as a sample, this paper employed a two-way fixed difference-in-difference model to analyze from supply and demand perspective. The results indicate that, (1) formal environmental regulations and environmental non-governmental organizations not only drive total factor productivity caused by dynamic changes on the supply and demand sides respectively, but also exhibit strong policy superposition effect. (2) The Analysis of policy intensity heterogeneity illustrated that the intensity of command-control and market-incentive environmental regulations could exert impact on the direct dual policies' effects. (3) The mechanism test found that green innovation and market forces play a mediating or regulating role. This paper provides empirical evidence for strengthening the policy orientation of synergistic governance, and has certain reference significance to realize the rise of green agriculture-supporting economy. [Display omitted] • Analysis is based on the supply and demand sides, with DID method mainly. • Heterogeneous environmental regulations respectively stimulate total factor productivity. • Dual regulations could generate a superposition effect. • Policy effects are affected by the heterogeneity across policy intensity. • Green innovation and market forces have regulating or mediating effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production struggles with low efficiency and high emissions. This urgently calls for a collaborative effort between government and non-government organizations in environmental governance and policy implementation. In order to explore the supply-shock, demand-induced or superposition effects of the formal and informal environmental regulations to agricultural total factor productivity, using listed Chinese agricultural enterprise data from 2003 to 2018 as a sample, this paper employed a two-way fixed difference-in-difference model to analyze from supply and demand perspective. The results indicate that, (1) formal environmental regulations and environmental non-governmental organizations not only drive total factor productivity caused by dynamic changes on the supply and demand sides respectively, but also exhibit strong policy superposition effect. (2) The Analysis of policy intensity heterogeneity illustrated that the intensity of command-control and market-incentive environmental regulations could exert impact on the direct dual policies' effects. (3) The mechanism test found that green innovation and market forces play a mediating or regulating role. This paper provides empirical evidence for strengthening the policy orientation of synergistic governance, and has certain reference significance to realize the rise of green agriculture-supporting economy. [Display omitted] • Analysis is based on the supply and demand sides, with DID method mainly. • Heterogeneous environmental regulations respectively stimulate total factor productivity. • Dual regulations could generate a superposition effect. • Policy effects are affected by the heterogeneity across policy intensity. • Green innovation and market forces have regulating or mediating effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its low global share of direct energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (1–2%), the implications of technological transitions in the agricultural and forestry sector on the energy system have been overlooked. This paper introduces the Agriculture and Land Use Sector module part of the ModUlar energy System Environment (MUSE), a novel energy system simulation model. The study presents a generalisable method that enables energy modellers to characterise agricultural technologies within an energy system modelling framework. Different mechanisation processes were characterised to simulate intensification/extensification transitions in the sector and its wider implications in the energy and land use system aiming at providing reliable non-energy outputs similarly to those found in dedicated land use models. Additionally, a forest growth model has been integrated to explore the role of reforestation alongside decarbonisation measures in the energy system in achieving carbon mitigation pathways. To illustrate the model's capabilities, Brazil is used as case study. Outputs suggest that by 2030 under a 2 °C mitigation scenario, most of Brazil agricultural production would move from 'transitional' to 'modern' practices, improving productivity and reducing deforestation rates, at the expense of higher energy and fertiliser demand. By mid-century Brazil has the potential to liberate around 24.4 Mha of agricultural land, where large-scale reforestation could have the capacity to sequester around 5.6 GtCO 2 , alleviating mitigation efforts in the energy system, especially reducing carbon capture and storage technology investments in the industry and power sector. • A novel energy-oriented agriculture and land use systems model has been developed. • Mechanisation levels are characterised using cluster analysis and linear optimisation. • Role of reforestation alongside measures in the energy sector in Brazil are studied. • By 2050, modern mechanisation could represent 54–63% of agricultural production. • Brazil has the potential to sequester around 5.6 GtCO 2 through reforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, various environmental assessment methods have been developed. The aim of this paper is to compare these methods to identify their advantages and disadvantages when used to analyze energy efficiency in agricultural production systems. A systematic review of information helped to identify six environmental assessment methods: ecological footprint, material flow analysis, ecological network analysis, life cycle analysis, exergy, and emergy. A multi-criteria comparison was carried out, taking into account the level of formalization, system modeling, spatial scale, inventoried flows, type of indicators, relationship with the concept of efficiency, and usability of each of the methods. This work allowed the strengths and weaknesses of each environmental assessment method to be highlighted. Proving that the Emergy approach could provide a relevant framework for the analysis of the multiple energy flows that interact in an agricultural production system, and for achieving an integral understanding of energy efficiency in the whole system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Farm size plays a critical role in agricultural sustainability. This may have far-reaching consequences for the economic and environmental performance of agricultural production, resulting, for instance, in an excessive use of mineral fertilizers. However, the magnitude of such effects and their main causes are not well understood, while being essential for effective policy development, especially for countries like China where the agricultural sector is still largely dominated by smallholder farms. In this paper, we review the current understanding of how farm size affects agricultural sustainability using China's crop farming as an example from economic, environment and social aspects. We analyze impacts from both a Chinese and a global perspective to identify intervention points to improve agricultural performance. We found that increasing farm size has a positive impact on farmer's net profit, as well as economic, technical and labor efficiency with mean coefficients of 0.005, 0.02 and 2.25, respectively. Nevertheless, the relationships between farm size and overall productivity, total factor productivity and allocative efficiency are still not well understood and therefore require more research. Meanwhile, increase in farm size is associated with statistically significant decrease in fertilizer and pesticide use per hectare, showing clear benefits for environmental protection. In line with the experiences documented for the evolution of agricultural practices in developed countries, the expansion of large-scale farming is a critical path for modernizing agricultural production and ensuring sustainable food production from the social perspective. Measures concerning farm size should be implemented in an interaction between farmers and the government to promote the green development of agriculture. Highlights • Farm size plays an important role in the performance of agriculture. • Increasing farm size shows clear benefits for environmental protection. • Large-scale farming is a critical path for modernizing and sustaining agriculture. • Smallholders prefer to use more non-fixed inputs to increase yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Conservation agriculture has been touted as a sustainable and productivity enhancing agricultural practice and increasingly being promoted in the developing countries. Previous research shows that this practice has increased agricultural productivity in the developed countries. This paper revolves around the central question – whether minimum tillage practice, which has succeeded in the developed countries under large scale farming, could bring out similar impacts for smallholder farmers in the developing countries. To examine this, plot level survey data are collected from a randomly selected sample households from the maize-dominant farming system of Kenya. Quasi experimental impact evaluation methods like endogenous switching regression has been applied to elucidate the impact of adoption of minimum tillage. Results show that adoption of minimum tillage has saved on labour by reducing the average total and female labour use in maize production thereby creating scope for undertaking other income generating activities. However, maize productivity is not found to have increased as an effect of minimum tillage adoption. Findings show that a major reason for such absence of yield impact is due to the fact that farmers adopting minimum tillage are often not practicing it together with other components of conservation agriculture. More importantly there is also serious irregularities in which other required supporting inputs, namely fertilizer and irrigation and agricultural management practices are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Many Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) technologies fail to achieve their full potential impact due to low levels of adoption by smallholder farmers and difficulties in scaling CSA. This paper presents how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can act as change agents for the uptake of CSA technologies where their business models may be seen as adoption and scaling mechanisms. Drawing upon our fieldwork in Punjab (India) during which over 100 respondents have been interviewed, critical issues and enabling factors for the business model of two types of SMEs, i.e. farmer cooperatives and individual service providers of climate smart technologies have been identified. Enabling factors supporting adoption are driven by scientific and practical evidence of CSA technologies, good partnership between SMEs and research institutes, good customer relationships and effective channels through farmers' field trials. Critical issues consist of distortive government subsidies on energy and the lack of market intelligence affecting the profitability of the business model. Scaling is enhanced through market intelligence and a favouring regulatory landscape. However, difficult socio-economic circumstances and distortive government subsidies limit the role of SMEs business model as mechanism for scaling. Highlights • Small and medium-sized enterprises foster scaling of climate smart agriculture. • Energy subsidies hinder business models in adoption of climate smart agriculture. • Market intelligence is key for business models to scale climate smart agriculture. • Youth forms a niche market for climate smart agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Agriculture is one of the most important sectors for global anthropogenic methane (CH 4) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions. While much attention has been paid to production-side agricultural non-CO 2 greenhouse gas (ANGHG) emissions, less is known about the emissions from the consumption-based perspective. This paper aims to explore the characteristics of agricultural CH 4 and N 2 O emissions of global major economies by using the latest emission data from the Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT) and the recently available global multi-regional input-output model from the World Input-Output Database (WIOD). The results show that in 2014, the 42 major economies together accounted for 60.7% and 65.0% of global total direct and embodied ANGHG emissions, respectively. The consumption-based ANGHG emissions in the US, Japan, and the EU were much higher than their production-based emissions, while the converse was true for Brazil, Australia, and India. The global-average embodied ANGHG emissions per capita was 0.7 t CO 2 -eq, but major developing countries such as China, India, Indonesia and Mexico were all below this average value. We find that the total transfer of embodied ANGHG emissions via international trade was 622.4 Mt CO 2 -eq, 11.9% of the global total. China was the largest exporter of embodied ANGHG emissions, while the US was the largest importer. Most developed economies were net importers of embodied emissions. Mexico-US, China-US, China-EU, China-Japan, China-Russia, Brazil-EU, India-EU and India-US formed the main bilateral trading pairs of embodied emission flows. Examining consumption-based inventories can be useful for understanding the impacts of final demand and international trade on agricultural GHG emissions and identifying appropriate mitigation potentials along global supply chains. Highlights • We explore agricultural CH 4 and N 2 O emission characteristics of 42 major economies. • Impacts of final demand and international trade on ANGHG emissions are evaluated. • 622.4 Mt CO 2 eq CH 4 and N 2 O emissions in 2014 were embodied in international trade. • Developed economies as net importers had high per capita emission requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transitioning to environmentally friendly economic growth is crucial for achieving sustainable development. Digital inclusive finance (DIF) can promote environmentally friendly economic activities and play a crucial role in fostering green and low-carbon development. In this context, a fundamental research question revolves around the theoretical foundations of how DIF impacts the growth of green total factor productivity (GTFP) and whether this relationship can be empirically verified. This question is particularly relevant for rural areas where financial innovations are necessary for the advancement of businesses and society as a whole. Additionally, expanding DIF can bring benefits to the environment, which is affected by agricultural activities. Therefore, it is important to assess the mechanisms behind the development of DIF and its impact on agricultural productivity growth. This paper presents an analysis of the interaction between DIF and GTFP growth in China's agricultural sector. Panel data from 2012 to 2019 at the province level are used for this analysis. The results reveal that GTFP and DIF demonstrate similar growth patterns, with DIF significantly contributing to GTFP growth. DIF can enhance GTFP by promoting information channels and fostering innovation in green technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important water-saving regulation, the construction of national water-saving city (NWSC) plays an important role in agricultural production, however, there is little research on its impact on agriculture. This paper uses super efficient Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) to measure agricultural total factor productivity (ATFP) in the regions along the Yellow River, and uses difference-in-difference (DID) model to explore the impact of NWSC on ATFP based on the theory of production factor flow. The results show that: First, the ATFP in the regions along the Yellow River demonstrated an initial increase followed by a decrease from 2000 to 2019, the ATFP in the regions along the Yellow River is low in the north and high in the south, and the ATFP of the main grain producing areas is generally higher. Second, the establishment of the NWSC can effectively improve the ATFP, the ATFP has increased by 6.57% compared with the control group, and the dynamic effect of the policy has shown an "N" pattern since its implementation. Particularly, in areas with relatively poor water resources, high agricultural factor intensification and major grain production areas, NWSC has a stronger impact on the ATFP. Third, NWSC has promoted the flow of labor production factors and improved ATFP through income effect, industrial synergy effect and technological innovation effect. The transfer of agricultural labor has also injected strong impetus into industrial development, and improved the return on industrial capital, which can promote agricultural capital more significantly, and further improved ATFP. Our findings provide empirical evidence for achieving high-quality agricultural development through the construction of NWSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coupling crop and livestock production (CCLP) is considered to be an effective way to mitigate the excessive use of chemical fertilizers. However, this is based on the assumption that organic fertilizer and manure has the substitution effect on fertilizer use (SEF). Is the assumption universal across all scenarios? In order to explore this question, this paper uses 1295 pieces of agricultural production data at crop type level in China and the econometric model to study the impact of CCLP on fertilizer application rate. The results showed that CCLP significantly promoted the organic fertilizer and manure application rate and the chemical fertilizer application rate at the same time, showing an anti-substitution effect on fertilizer use (anti-SEF). Further, anti-SEF was mainly appeared in large-scale farms, head of household with male-headed, older, and less-educated, and maize planting. This study provides a counter-evidence to challenge CCLP's assumption of SEF from smallholder farms. [Display omitted] • In general, CCLP is supposed to promote agricultural sustainability. • An anti-substitution effect on fertilizer use by CCLP is found in smallholder farms. • This phenomenon is mainly in the relatively large-scale farms and maize planting. • It is also appeared in head of household with male-headed, older, and less-educated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural systems are increasingly subjected to environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) but generating life cycle inventory (LCI) data in agriculture remains a challenge. In Part I, it was suggested that traceability data are a good basis for generating precise LCI with reduced effort, especially when collected by efficient information and communication technologies (ICTs). The aim of this paper is to demonstrate this for wine grape production and generate a list of data to be collected for streamlined LCI generation. The study is carried out in the South of France, on a viticultural farm implementing electronic traceability of each cultivation operation, i.e. tillage, fertilisation, crop protection, weeding, canopy management and harvesting (no irrigation is needed at this vineyard). For each operation, specific emission models which satisfy the trade-off between accuracy and need for data have been identified. Traceability data must be supplemented with data related to the plot, equipment and inputs to feed the models. The sensitivity of the LCA outputs to plot soil type and year of cultivation was studied. Consistent with previous agricultural studies, the results show that operations such as pesticide spraying and fertilising have large environmental impacts in this Mediterranean vineyard. Notable variations occur in life cycle impact assessment indicators, principally due to variations in crop yield; however, the influence of secondary factors such as soil type and agricultural practices is also evident and this contribution allows us to better characterise the variability of grape production and to show that streamlined LCI can be created using traceability data. Ultimately, this paper delivers two results. It provides simple models, and relevant data and methodology to enable viticultural LCAs to be undertaken. Additionally, it demonstrates that accurate LCIs can be built based on data already collected for traceability when supplemented with other easily collectable data (weather and farm structural data). Overall, this work paves the way for streamlined LCI in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the review of academic literature, numerous papers present either a list of indicator criteria or partially revised sustainability assessment tools of agri-food systems. However, neither a complete analysis and discussion about the criteria utilised by evaluators nor a compared examination and subsequent frameworks categorization have been fully developed by researchers. This study aims to fill this twofold gap by investigating the main issues related to the choice of a tool for the sustainability assessment of an agri-system. This task is conducted in three steps: firstly, we analyse the criteria an indicator should match to be included in an evaluation; secondly, we categorise 15 of the most important agriculture sustainability frameworks to discuss effectiveness in evaluating sustainability for each category, finally, we compare the categories and emphasise differences to highlight the possible application of each framework and hence guide the practitioner in the framework selection process. Our analysis identifies the complementarity between bottom-up and top-down approach and the impossibility of identifying a priori the best framework, although a combination of both approaches could prove to be a valuable, alternative option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based upon a comparative environmental evaluation between organic and conventional cultivation of barley, under favorable pedo-climatic conditions. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was performed alternatively using, as Functional Units (FUs), 1 ha of land involved in cultivation of barley to seek environmental sustainability and 1 kg of dry matter grains of produced barley to check productive efficiency. The study aims at highlighting the best solution for cultivation of barley. The topic was addressed because of the lack of comprehensive comparisons between organic and conventional management of barley production systems, which involve specific methodological assumptions (i.e. different FUs, economic allocation procedure between product and co-product). Findings from comparative LCA show that organic barley cultivation is the most environmentally sustainable solution (but not efficient in production), vice versa conventional barley cultivation is the solution most efficient in production (but not environmentally sustainable). Using 1 ha as FU, the cultivation of organic barley produces environmental impacts for 2.33 pt vs. the 2.55 pt of the cultivation of conventional barley. Vice-versa using 1 kg as FU, organic barley accounts for 3.103E-04 pt vs. the 2.396E-04 pt of conventional barley. Efficiency in production and environmental sustainability may also depend on qualitative elements (crop quality and adaptiveness to specific pedo-climatic conditions). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates the effects of renewable energy consumption, agriculture production and forest on carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emission in Pakistan. To do so, we use annual data over the period of 1990–2014 and employ the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model to examine their long-run and short-run impacts on CO 2 emission. We find that in the long run, renewable energy consumption and forest have negative and significant effects on CO 2 emission, which indicates that CO 2 emission can be reduced by increasing renewable energy usage and forest area. In contrast, agricultural production positively and significantly affects CO 2 emission in the long run which implies that agriculture production is also a major carbon source in Pakistan. Moreover, in the short-run, renewable energy consumption and forest have shown similar results while the effects from agriculture become statistically insignificant. In addition, we also show that forest planting is more effective to reduce CO 2 emission relative to renewable energy and agriculture. Our results are robust to alternative model specifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of livestock production systems is often based on inventory data for farms typical of a study region. As information on individual animals is often unavailable, livestock data may already be aggregated at the time of inventory analysis, both across individual animals and across seasons. Even though various computational tools exist to consider the effect of genetic and seasonal variabilities in livestock-originated emissions intensity, the degree to which these methods can address the bias suffered by representative animal approaches is not well-understood. Using detailed on-farm data collected on the North Wyke Farm Platform (NWFP) in Devon, UK, this paper proposes a novel approach of life cycle impact assessment that complements the existing LCA methodology. Field data, such as forage quality and animal performance, were measured at high spatial and temporal resolutions and directly transferred into LCA processes. This approach has enabled derivation of emissions intensity for each individual animal and, by extension, its intra-farm distribution, providing a step towards reducing uncertainty related to agricultural production inherent in LCA studies for food. Depending on pasture management strategies, the total emissions intensity estimated by the proposed method was higher than the equivalent value recalculated using a representative animal approach by 0.9–1.7 kg CO 2 -eq/kg liveweight gain, or up to 10% of system-wide emissions. This finding suggests that emissions intensity values derived by the latter technique may be underestimated due to insufficient consideration given to poorly performing animals, whose emissions becomes exponentially greater as average daily gain decreases. Strategies to mitigate life-cycle environmental impacts of pasture-based beef productions systems are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyse the effects of tourists' demand on the economic system of Tuscany using a multiplier model based on the (64 x 64) regional Social Accounting Matrix 2011. To this end, after identifying the exogenous and endogenous accounts (variables), we obtain endogenous account coefficients and impact multipliers. Evidence exists that tourism activity is well integrated into the regional economic system. Moreover, this activity has a remarkable impact on food production, value added, and households' expenditure. A policy simulation shows that a positive shock in tourists’ expenditure results in an overall positive increase in demand for agriculture and industry products, as well as in an increase in regional value added, and institutional sector activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies are called by institutional organizations to assess their impacts on biodiversity and to take actions to achieve collectively conservation objectives. This paper presents a method to assess whether the pressures exerted by a business and its value chain on biodiversity are compatible with biodiversity conservation. The absolute environmental sustainability assessment framework is used to compare relevant life cycle assessment midpoint and endpoint indicators to the ecological budgets assigned to the company. This approach is illustrated based on the case study of a mass-market retailer with a focus on the pressures exerted by its food portfolio at the agricultural production step. The results indicate that several pressures driving biodiversity loss are not sustainable. The study also highlights the prominent weight of a few product categories in the ecological burden. These findings have implications for mass-market retailers as well as their food value chains and open research perspectives to make such an approach fully operational. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continent of Africa has the highest prevalence of hunger and poverty in the world. In this paper, an Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model combined with a Crop Choice Decision Model (CCDM) is applied to simulate the production and spatial distribution of rice, wheat, millet, maize, sorghum and cassava in Africa from 1993 to 2012 converted into calories. From this, we calculate the size of the undernourished population according to the Average Dietary Energy Requirement index of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and study the trends experienced in different countries. The results show that (1) the distribution of different crops has a horizontal zonality from north to south; (2) although the distribution of different crops in Africa did not change significantly from 1993 to 2012, the total crop planting area declined, especially in the middle part of Africa; (3) the undernourished population has increased, while the proportion of undernourished people decreased; and (4) land tenure reform and international food aid has made a great contribution to improved food security in Africa. A GIS-based EPIC (GEPIC) model combined with a CCDM can enable the spatial explicit assessment of food security and the microscopic study of food security on large scale, providing more accurate decision-making information for policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the relationship between landscape diversity and crop production using big data techniques. In the case study area of Hebei Province, China, there is a positive ecological effect of landscape diversity on crop production (coefficient of H (Shannon's index) and H 2 on crop production are 7.9665 and −2.2388 respectively), and a negative effect via operating cultivated land change (coefficient of H and H 2 on cultivated land change are −5.4253 and 1.5520 respectively). This negative effect is measured with big data techniques and is explained by variables such as the ratio of cultivated land and other basic local conditions. The net effect of landscape diversity on crop production is negative, all else the same, reflecting the strength of the impact through cultivated land change. Thus, it is important to adhere to a certain level of landscape diversity if crop production is to be sustained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization has contributed to rapid development of greenhouse vegetable production in Northern China resulting in negative environmental impacts caused by the overuse of agricultural inputs. A shift towards organic consumption and production has been promoted as one of the potential solutions to this challenge. Early indications for such a shift can already be observed in many major Chinese cities. In this paper, a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was used to examine the environmental impacts of organic and conventional production of tomatoes in greenhouses in suburban Beijing, China. Results showed clear environmental benefits associated with a 54.87% lower environmental impact index for organic tomato production compared to its conventional counterpart. For the organic system, eutrophication and soil eco-toxicity contributed the most with 56.39% and 37.87%, respectively, mainly due to manure application. For the conventional system, aquatic eco-toxicity ranked first with 59.45%, followed by eutrophication (25.70%) and soil eco-toxicity (12.12%) – mainly due to the application of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. The results of the LCA analysis suggest a positive environmental evaluation of current trends towards organic production and consumption in urban China. However, the implications of accompanying trends towards direct, cold chain delivery as well as greater land demands within the organic system should be considered. Also, more effort should be made to help organic farmers to apply organic fertilizers more efficiently in order to reduce remaining significant soil eco-toxicity impacts from manure application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the potential of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&As) as a novel approach to energy use optimization. The investigations are carried out through inverse data envelopment analysis (DEA). Contrary to traditional DEA approaches that restrict the energy savings to individual production units, the proposed methodology looks at the issue from the perspective of possible mergers among these units. The new methodology, which deploys over two stages, is applied to pairwise consolidations among 51 tomato greenhouse (GH) farms from Biskra, Algeria. An inverse DEA model is implemented in the first stage to discern all possibly productive post-merger GH farms, i.e., those mergers that are likely to generate energy gains. In the second stage, a new procedure is devised to find the best matchings among partners of potential mergers and derive the best merger plan out of the whole sample of GH farms. The results of the inverse DEA application revealed that potential gains per energy input can be substantial, reaching proportions as high as 80.78% and above. The derived optimal merger plan exhibited a post-merger energy saving index of 70.23%, that is, 33 times the index of the traditional DEA approach. Practically, these findings leave no doubt that mergers can contribute significantly to energy savings, enough to support new policies for promoting mergers as strategic options towards optimal energy consumption. The application scope of the proposed methodology can be duly extended to other sectors where energy optimization might be a critical issue. • First study on the contribution of Merger & Acquisition to optimal energy consumption. • Application of Inverse DEA to quantify such contribution in agricultural production. • New DEA approach to select best merging partners based on post-merger's outcomes. • A sample of 51 tomato GH farms from Biskra, Algeria, is adopted as a case study. • Post-merger energy saving index is 70.23%, i.e., 33 times the pre-merger index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioenergy production from agricultural biomass is considered a key opportunity for achieving the sustainable development goals set by various international institutions. This sector must combine efficiency and profitability with environmental protection and territorial integration. For this reason, plants location should consider the natural and anthropic characteristics of the areas where they are supposed to operate. In this paper, a multicriteria analysis is introduced for optimal location of biomass plants in a region of Northern Italy. The study was based on a detailed set of 8 constraints and 15 criteria, and eventually identified 93 potential sites for plant location. The distribution of biomass from the territory to the plants was carried out with the specific Location-Allocation algorithm that allowed considering both the attractiveness of the plants and the maximum acceptable power. This result was compared with the current bioenergy production system: three alternative scenarios were developed, considering existing plants and the natural gas distribution network. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted, to study the consequences of various decision-makers decisions. The results showed the possibility of installing between 90 and 199 plants in the different scenarios, resulting in a biomethane production between 246.8·106 Nm3 and 503.6·106 Nm3. • Potential of agricultural by-products to achieve sustainable development goals. • Use of a multicriteria decision model to determine the optimal location of plants. • Use of network analysis for managing the supply chain of biomass to facilities. • Development of biomethane production to achieve decarbonisation objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land application of sewage sludge has a number of advantages over other alternatives, but is also associated with environmental impacts. To make proper assessments of different sludge treatments, it is crucial to have reliable estimates of emissions after the application of different sludge types. However, because of the complexity of the agricultural production system, it is difficult to estimate emissions consistently under different conditions. In the current paper, a mechanistic agro-ecosystem model was calibrated to be able to simulate different sludge types stabilized using different techniques. Subsequently, 100 year model simulations were used to provide emission factors as well as harvest and carbon sequestration factors (collectively called environmental inventory factors) under a variety of environmental conditions. Environmental inventory factors were calculated under both high crop response conditions (i.e. when nitrogen was limiting) and low crop response conditions (i.e. when nitrogen was not limiting). The average high response nitrogen harvest factor over the tested environmental conditions was ranging from 0.06 to 0.30 for the different sludge types included. This means that if an additional 1 kg of nitrogen is applied with sludge, between 0.06 and 0.30 kg additional nitrogen is harvested. This is considerably lower than for mineral fertilizer with an average value of 0.63. The low response harvest factors were considerably lower, ranging from 0.03 to 0.13. The emission factor for nitrous oxide nitrogen was ranging from 0.024 to 0.034, consistently being higher under high response conditions. For nitrogen leaching to the groundwater, the high response emission factor ranged from 0.20 to 0.50 for the different sludge types while the low response were slightly higher ranging from 0.18 to 0.55. The average carbon sequestration factor across the different environmental conditions ranged from 0.03 to 0.05 for the different sludge types. In conclusion, the approach using an agro-ecosystem model to estimate inventory factors associated with land application of sludge under varying conditions proved very powerful and would have been virtually impossible by experimental means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of vehicles to control pests and crop diseases is needed to maintain agricultural production. This paper describes how to design and implement a low cost intelligent telecontrol system applied for agricultural machinery that are designed for use in places where human presence is not adequate, such as pesticide spraying tasks in farming environments as greenhouses. The intelligent system designed basically consists of these parts: States Encoding, Console Automaton, Vehicle Automaton, Communication System and Security of Communications. This system has been developed with a special-purpose UHF narrow band modem that interchanges digital operative commands/states from the console to the vehicle. The intelligent telecontrol system acts as a security system to protect against outsiders, and loss of communications due to fading or others interference. The originality of this system is based on the fact that it is 10 times cheaper than autonomous systems; those systems need electronic systems, GPS, a complex sensorial system, and a beforehand mapping performed on the new work environment. Related to classic remote control, our system protects from potential oversights of the operator. In addition, in the proposed system, the vehicle state is shown in the console, due the bidirectional communications. The system was successfully applied in prototype vehicle used for spraying tasks, and the result shows that the system operated stably and has confirmed the effectiveness of this intelligent telecontrol system. The proposed technology will help providing solutions for humans and robots working together in agricultural environments considered to be harmful to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production and further processing to food and drink have large impacts on the environment. However, there are still few examples of LCA studies on beverages such as whisky. This paper presents a life cycle assessment of Swedish single malt whisky and different environmental improvements of the production chain are discussed. The functional unit is one bottle (70 cl) of whisky and results are obtained for global warming potential (GWP), Acidification Potential (AP), Eutrophication potential (EP) and primary energy (PE). The contribution to GWP is dominated by CO 2 emissions from transport of stillage. When avoided emissions from use of biogas are included, the net result is 2.1 tonnes CO 2 -eq. Acidification is mainly due to emissions of SO 2 from bottle production, transport and barley cultivation which ends up to 14.6 kg SO 2 -eq. Eutrophication results are totally dominated by barley cultivation, in total 8.6 kg PO 4 3 − . The total use of primary energy is 53.5 MJ/FU with a 50/50 distribution in renewable and non-renewable. Non-renewables emanate from fossil fuels used for transports and in glass production, whereas renewables are mostly used for heating in the distillery. Improvement analysis of transports included; (1) decreasing need of transport, (2) change of fuel and (3) change of transport mode. Decreasing transport of stillage is an efficient measure to reduce GWP and use of non-renewable energy. Substituting diesel with biodiesel for all road transports is an even more efficient measure for these categories, but increases other environmental impact. For all impact categories except use of renewable energy a scenario combining all improvements is the most efficient measure to reduce environmental impact. The results can be used by the manufacturer, but an improved and expanded LCA on product level can be used for a more specific eco-labelling of the different whisky editions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of processes for the production of biopolymer materials is being stimulated by a combination of factors. These factors include the negative effects of petrochemical-derived plastics on the global environment, depletion of global fossil fuel supplies, and the growing demands of an ever-increasing population for the products deemed necessary for an affluent modern lifestyle. In particular, polyhydroxyalkanoates have attracted attention as environmentally friendly alternatives to the synthetic polymers that are commonly used. Polyhydroxyalkanoates are polyesters produced and accumulated in intracellular granules by many microorganisms. Because they are biodegradable and biocompatible and can be produced by fermentation of renewable feedstocks, they are considered attractive substitutes for petroleum-derived polymers. To create bacterial polyesters, crude and waste plant oils, which can be difficult to dispose of, can be recovered and used as feedstock. This paper gives an overview of the potential for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates with useful physicochemical properties by bacteria grown on renewable resources such as plant oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vibration-based electromagnetic energy harvester offers a cost-effective and promising renewable energy approach. With the rapid development of autonomous agricultural production, advanced agricultural machinery equipped with multiple sensors is of significant importance. In the hilly areas of southwest China, the driver of the pennisetum sinese roxb harvester must frequently adjust the height of the stripping header to adapt to the terrain height variation and it leads to high labor intensity. Because of the harness environment of the working condition, the arrangement of wires for sensors is almost impossible. Thus, a self-powered sensor node by profiling mechanism with a vibration energy harvester is proposed. This paper presents theoretical and experimental research on a profiling mechanism using a vibration energy harvester, with which a detailed theoretical model is established to perform the dynamic simulation study. Diverse excitation conditions such as sinusoidal sweeping vibration tests, fixed frequency vibration and stochastic road spectrum tests of agricultural machinery were implemented to verify the power generation capacity. The simulation results agree well with the experimental data. Experimental results show the peak-peak voltage and power of the proposed device reach about 44 V and 113 mW under low frequency and large displacement excitations. The vibration test justifies the feasibility of the proposed profiling mechanism in the application scene for powering the range sensor applied in agricultural production. [Display omitted] • A self-powered sensor node by profiling mechanism is developed. • The dynamic simulation results agree well with the experimental data. • Stochastic road spectrum tests are conducted to evaluate the device performance. • The device and energy conversion circuit form a self-contained system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin is a by-product of biorefineries and paper mills and is usually discarded or burnt. However, it may represent a source of novel fertilising products, able to support the sustainable intensification of agricultural productions. The aim of this review is to explore the literature regarding the effect of lignin application towards plant growth and nutrient use efficiency. First, we reviewed the biostimulant role of lignin, which was reported to positively perturbing plant hormonal balances or improving the efficiency of photosynthesis and respiration. Also, when added to soils, lignin was shown to enhance nitrogen uptake, as well as the development of beneficial soil microorganisms. Then, we summarised the research related to the chemical modifications of lignin structure devised to boost its bioactivity, an approach opening possibilities to tailor the effects of lignin addition on plant development. We further examined the literature about the use of lignin and its derivatives as starting substrates to produce sustainable materials (chelates, coatings, micro- and nano-materials) for the slow release of plant nutrients. Encouraging results emerged from the summarised articles, suggesting that lignin may replace the currently used synthetic polymers exploited to chelate or entrapping nutrients. We additionally hereby highlighted the role of lignin chemical nature in affecting its biological and release properties, hence pointing out the relevance of thoroughly studying its structure at a molecular level by the most advanced analytical tools. Finally, we suggested the need for researchers to combine their skills and expertise, in order to develop more efficient lignin-inspired fertilisers. [Display omitted] • Lignin wastes may be exploited in agriculture to improve plant growth and yields. • Lignin might act as biostimulant or soil conditioner. • Raw or transformed lignin can be used as slow release fertiliser (SRF). • Chelates, coatings, nanoparticles or hydrogels as SRF may be obtained from lignin. • Lignin chemical features affect biological/release properties of derived products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robust understanding of possible trade-offs and synergies between climate change, energy and water sector policies is critical to achieving economically viable and environmentally sound agricultural production systems in a low-carbon water-constrained economy, in which greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are penalized and water savings rewarded. Accurate assessment of the potential costs/benefits of investment decisions can help to optimize the economic efficiency of agricultural production while minimizing environmental impacts. This paper presents a novel integrated framework, based on carbon and water accounting, which enables analysis of potential trade-offs between water savings, energy consumption, GHG emissions and economic costs/benefits associated with the adoption of new water efficient irrigation technologies. The framework was applied to an irrigated lucerne cropping system in eastern Australia and compares the costs/benefits of old roll-line sprinkler irrigation systems against new pressurized systems. Positive synergies were found with the adoption of the new technology, which saved both water and energy use, reduced total GHG emissions and resulted in net economic returns across a range of carbon prices. The results of this study provide support for an integrated evidence-based approach to policy development and strategic decision-making and for the prioritization of investments on both economic and environmental grounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the environmental behavior of different horticultural production systems. Emergy assessment was applied for the analysis of three family-managed horticultural farms located in Ibiúna County and one horticultural subsystem of Yamaguishi Eco-Village in Jaguariúna County, both located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. For Ibiúna and Jaguariúna farms the total Emergy varied from 2.36E+16 to 9.59E+16 seJ ha −1 year −1 , the Transformity ranged from 1.58E+06 to 4.98E+06 seJ J −1 , the Renewability from 17% to 55%, the Emergy Yield Ratio from 1.14 to 2.24 and the Emergy Investment Ratio ranged from 0.81 to 4.76. The Environmental Loading Ratio values showed a large variation, for organic production from 0.81 to 1.54 and for the conventional production from 4.77 to 4.88. Emergy Exchange Ratio showed a wide variation from 0.03 to 3.49. These results were compared to those obtained in an emergy analysis of five organic horticultural systems located in the highlands of Rio de Janeiro, a study performed by Nobre Junior (2009) . The analysis of the whole set of results is that the renewability of Rio de Janeiro's systems is higher than Ibiúna and Jaguariúna systems because these last systems respond to the pressures of market to decrease prices increasing the volume of production using industrial aggressive inputs in a more intensive way. The conclusion will be made available to Ibiúna city government and population in order to promote a transition to Agroecological Systems involving the recovery of soil biota and native vegetation, recycling urban wastes and lowering pesticides and chemical fertilizers use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production is a sector with high socio-economic significance and key implications on employment and nutritional security. However, the impacts of agrifood production and consumption patterns on the environment are considerable, mainly due to the demand of large inputs of resources. This paper presents a case study of olive oil production in Greece, an important agri-product especially for countries in the Mediterranean basin. Life Cycle Assessment has been used to quantify the environmental performance of olive oil production. Fourteen sub-systems of the overall olive oil production are investigated. All key parameters that are associated with the life cycle of olive oil production are studied and environmental “hotspots” are diagnosed. Cultivation of olive trees and production of olive oil are the sub-systems that are responsible for the majority of the environmental impacts and thus any effort to minimize the overall life cycle impact from olive oil production should include them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of this paper is to estimate the carbon footprint of conventional rye bread produced on an industrial scale and consumed in Denmark by identifying the stages that contribute significantly to the carbon footprint (hotspots) of production. The results are then interpreted by comparing and discussing the results of this study with the results of other studies identified in the extant body of literature. To estimate the carbon footprint, we considered an industrial bakery supply chain in a single in-depth quantitative case study. Using an attributional approach, we estimated the carbon footprint of 1 kg of rye bread to be 731 g CO2 equivalents (CO2eq). As in previous studies, the primary hotspot was found to be the raw material stage, especially agricultural production (cultivation), with processing and distribution stages as secondary hotspots. The waste management stage was determined to be an important and previously overlooked opportunity for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of ternary binders in concrete is gaining importance in modern construction practices due to their superior performance and synergistic benefits from various supplementary cementitious materials. As the global production of industrial and agricultural products is continuously increasing, the disposal of agro-wastes and industrial by-products becomes a primary concern due to stringent environmental restrictions. A comprehensive review on the combined use of industrial by-products with locally available agro-wastes for the ternary cement production is limited. Hence, this paper focuses on the systematic review on the synergistic utilisation of industrial and agricultural by-products available in the proximity of cement plants for the production of ternary binders. The current study comprehends the physical, chemical, mineralogical, morphological and pozzolanic properties of these by-products. Moreover, the paper presents the influence of different ternary blends on fresh, hardened and durability properties of the cementitious system with various combination of industrial and agricultural by-products. Besides, the review addresses the feasibility of combined use of these by-products in alkali activator binder. Based on a detailed review, the comparable performance of ternary blends with respect to conventional binders is also highlighted. A framework for synergistic use of industrial and agricultural wastes for the cleaner production of sustainable ternary cement is proposed and directions for further research studies are recommended. Image 1 • Combined use of industrial and agricultural wastes in blended cement is reviewed. • Effect of combined use of ashes on fresh properties of ternary cement is compared. • Synergistic use of ashes enhanced hardened properties of ternary blended concrete. • Utilisation of locally available resources in cement plants is presented. • A framework is proposed for the cleaner production of high-quality ternary cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production and productivity are important from multiple perspectives, including environmental protection, food self-sufficiency, renewable energy sources as well as economic returns. The earlier literature has sparsely addressed the biological and economic productivity dynamics when decomposing the changes in the output of agriculture within a single framework at the country level. This paper presents an index decomposition approach that allows explaining the changes in agricultural output from the perspective of the ecological footprint and biological capacity. These measures represent the shift towards a more valuable output mix and lower environmental pressures. Economic and biological productivity is involved in the analysis. The case of the selected European Union (EU) and BRIICS (Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, China and South Africa) countries is considered for the empirical analysis. The index decomposition analysis model based on the Shapley value is constructed for the empirical analysis. The results suggest that the EU countries saw a less vibrant growth in the agricultural output than that of the BRIICS countries over 1992–2016. The biological productivity growth was more important for the EU countries if opposed to the BRIICS ones. • The index decomposition model relates agricultural output to ecological footprint. • The cases of EU and BRIICS are considered. • The BRIICS countries rely on biological growth (i.e., increasing yields). • The EU countries show higher importance of the economic productivity gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The results of life cycle assessments (LCA) can be significantly affected by the choice of allocation procedure because different allocation approaches lead to a wide range of results. Agricultural systems are particularly sensitive due to their co-products being used in various sectors and accounted for at several allocation steps. If the allocation procedures for different products from the same agricultural system are not aligned to one another, methodological inconsistencies might occur. Parts of the environmental burden might be either unaccounted or doubly accounted for. As a consequence, the overall environmental burden of the agricultural system is not properly assessed. The Cereal Unit (CU) has been used as a common denominator in German agricultural statistics for decades and is mainly based on the nutritional value for livestock. Products and co-products not intended for livestock feeds are also covered. More than 200 CU conversion factors are provided for vegetable and animal products and co-products occurring during their processing. To calculate the CU, the specifically aggregated metabolizable energy content is calculated for each feed material and normalized using barley as a reference (1 kg barley = 12.56 MJ specifically aggregated metabolizable energy). The CU approach can be applied to other regions without prohibitive efforts. In this paper, we derive an allocation approach that is based on the CU as an existing unit for agricultural products. The new CU allocation approach is tested and compared to established allocation approaches for wheat, barley, soybean, rapeseed, sugar beet and sunflower. The CU allocation generates results between the approaches of mass, energy and economic allocations. For instance, the allocation shares between wheat grain and wheat straw are as follows: mass allocation 56% (grains)/44% (straw), energy allocation 55%/45%, economic allocation 77%/23% and CU allocation 75%/25%. We demonstrate that the CU is an appropriate unit for the description of agricultural products and can serve as the basis for an agriculture-specific allocation approach in LCA. CU allocation may help to address agricultural allocation problems and might lead to more robust LCA results for products and services originating from raw agricultural materials. We recommend further testing and future application of this new allocation approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Quantitative environmental assessment methodologies such as life cycle assessment demand significant time and resource inputs during the data acquisition and life cycle inventory (LCI) phase. Approaches to streamline the LCI data collection process without degrading data quality are therefore required. This requirement is especially true for agricultural products, as agricultural systems are inherently ‘open’ and complex. We present a two-part paper on this topic. In this first part, we examine streamlined methods for LCI data collection in agriculture by using today's voluntary or compulsory farm traceability information systems and related information and communication technologies (ICTs), with the aim of later converting them into LCI data. The second part is to examine the application of these technologies in a case study. Our hypothesis is that both traceability data and ICTs could be major drivers for generating accurate, relevant and low-cost LCI data for use in quantitative environmental assessments of agricultural product performance. To that end, we identified the types of data being collected in agriculture as a part of current business practice, especially those with relevance to LCA studies. We also examined the status and current trends in ICTs in use in agriculture to identify the potential for automating LCI data generation. The review identified considerable potential to piggy-back current trends in ICTs in agriculture with the goal of simplifying LCI data collection. This study concludes that given the increasing need to collect traceability data in modern agriculture and the parallel growing adoption of information and communication technologies, it is likely that ICTs and associated information systems will represent an important potential route for the acquisition of future LCI data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper investigates the environmental sustainability and competitiveness perceptions of small farmers in a region in northern Brazil. The main data collection instruments included a survey questionnaire and an analysis of the region's strategic plan. In total, ninety-nine goat and sheep breeding farmers were surveyed. Data analysis methods included descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, and chi-squared tests. The main results relate to the impact of education, land size, and location on the farmers' perceptions of competitiveness and environmental issues. Farmers with longer periods of education have higher perception scores about business competitiveness and environmental sustainability than those with less formal education. Farmers who are working larger land areas also have higher scores than those with smaller farms. Lastly, location can yield factors that impact on farmers' perceptions. In our study, farmers located in Angicos and Lajes had higher perception scores than Pedro Avelino and Afonso Bezerra, despite the geographical proximity of these municipalities. On the other hand, three other profile variables did not impact on farmers' perceptions, namely: family income, dairy production volume, and associative condition. The authors believe the results and insights can be extended to livestock farming in other developing countries and contribute generally to fostering effective sustainable development policies, mainly in the agribusiness sector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts an increase of 0.2 °C per decade for the next two decades in global temperatures and a rise of between 1.5 and 4.5 °C by the year 2100. Related to the increase in world temperatures is the increase in Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) which are primarily made up of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and fluorinated gases. In 2004, the GHGs from agriculture contributed 14% of the overall global GHGs made up mainly of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. In Australia, the dominant source of CH4 and N2O emissions for the year ending June 2012 was found to be from the agricultural sector. With the recent introduction of the Clean Energy Act 2011, the agricultural sector of Australia is expected to develop appropriate GHG mitigation strategies to maintain and improve its competitiveness in the green commodity market. This paper proposes the use of Integrated Spatial Technologies (IST) framework by linking Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The IST approach also integrates and highlights the use of Cleaner Production (CP) strategies for the formulation and application of cost-effective GHG mitigation options for grain production in Western Australia (WA). In this study, the IST framework was tested using data from an existing study (the baseline study) and two mitigation options. The analysis results revealed production and use of fertiliser as the “hotspot”, and for mitigation purposes was replaced with pig manure in option 1, whereas option 2 emphasised crop rotation system/s. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The growing challenge of environmental preservation has forced companies to change their operational structure and to improve the disclosure of their environmental policies and actions. The goal of this article is to measure Environmental Management Disclosure using Item Response Theory. The main methodological approach is quantitative. First, a set of items related to Environmental Management Disclosure was created and applied to 638 Brazilian companies in 10 sectors of the Brazilian economy. A set of 26 items approved by environmental specialists was created, and data was obtained from the companies' websites. Item Response Theory was then used to create a scale for measuring Environmental Management Disclosure. The items were arranged in the scale to enable their understanding. This approach allowed for the assessment of the quality and the propriety of each item and facilitated the placement of the items and the respondents on the same analysis scale. The results indicated that companies in the agricultural production sector had the worst Environmental Management Disclosure and companies in the mining and paper sectors had the best performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]